OUTCRY-It's often said that to sum up morality, human beings need not look further than the Bible's Ten Commandments. I'm not sure about everyone else, but I feel that, number one, we can derive our morals without a "holy book" telling us not to slaughter one another, and, number two, does the Sabbath really have anything to do with the way we live today? That is, unless of course, you are Jewish. (Sorry) So what I stumbled upon, in my new search for the basis of what our morality stands for in this age, is the "New Ten Commandments." Actual ideas and thoughts that resonate throughout this era in which we live today, not several thousand years ago. What I found is that I had to look no further than the Atheist website ebonmusings.org. (Ironic, you might be tempted or "programmed" to think.) For the many people that mistakenly believe that we have to derive our morality from a certain bronzed-age book, or even a religion in general, this list proves otherwise.
(As a sidenote to number one, I would like to add that Confucius coined the silver rule which predated Jesus' golden rule by some 500 years. Jesus just reversed the meaning, thus using it in a positive application instead of negatively. Jesus said, "do unto others" instead of the original "do not do to others" as was originally invented by Confucius.)
And now, without further ado: "The New Ten Commandments"
1. Do not do to others what you would not want them to do to you.
2. In all things, strive to cause no harm.
3. Treat your fellow human beings, your fellow living things, and the world in general with love, honesty, faithfulness and respect.
4. Do not overlook evil or shrink from administering justice, but always be ready to forgive wrongdoing freely admitted and honestly regretted.
5. Live life with a sense of joy and wonder.
6. Always seek to be learning something new.
7. Test all things; always check your ideas against the facts, and be ready to discard even a cherished belief if it does not conform to them.
8. Never seek to censor or cut yourself off from dissent; always respect the right of others to disagree with you.
9. Form independent opinions on the basis of your own reason and experience; do not allow yourself to be led blindly by others.
10. Question everything.
Beside the obvious number one silver rule, number ten is undoubtedly my favorite, but let me ask you this: why could God have not just provided us with this list and save us all of the ritualistic nonsense? How many lives could have been spared if the Jewish, Old Testament God (which happens to be the same God that incarnated Jesus' body) would have just provided humanity with a list like this? No "jealous god" babble. No "remember the Sabbath" sacrament, and especially no animal (or child) sacrifices or burnt offerings absurdity that was a mainstay in the Old Testament? Just plain, simple, unambiguous rules to lead a good life. The Bible made things complicated, which, in turn, led to the thousands of branches of beliefs we have today that do horrible things to one another. This list doesn't. This list doesn't have its own agenda to fulfill that included satisfying God's unquenchable thirst for your attention, time, and worship. This list doesn't "promote by example" war, genocide, women oppression, slavery, and the incarnation of God Himself to kill Himself (as the Son) just to forgive us "unworthy humans" of our sins. Why not just forgive us and save us from the formality? Do we need to see the most gruesome act of child sacrifice ever committed in history upon a Roman cross to believe in You? However sad every fiber of my body may be to say this, I simply cannot believe in a God such as this, and Jesus Christ was my last option.
Sources:
http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/confucius.html
http://www.ebonmusings.org/atheism/new10c.html
